London colour archive - Brian Girling

London Colour Archive is a fascinating collection of early photographs, which take the reader on a tour of London. It is a tour with a difference, though, because rather than picturing historic scenes dating back to the 1850s in the usually expected sepia or monochrome tones this collection offers new realism as all of the photographs are in full colour. World renowned landmarks are featured as well as less well known aspects of the city including street characters, local markets, shops, theatres, early cinemas, local neighbourhoods and transport, as horse and steam transport was giving way to electricity and the internal combustion engine. Great exhibitions and royal events also appear as do wartime photographs of the devastation London suffered during the blitz in World War II. A further section recalls London's once-thriving docklands before their eventual decline and subsequent reinvigoration during more recent years. London Colour Archive brings together a wealth of rare and previously unpublished images to depict a city that was as vibrant and colourful a century ago as it is today.